Suzanne Wong
The Full Strike Sapphire is one of the really avant-garde pieces that you sometimes find in the LUC collection, which seems very special to me. In the past you also had the Engine One Tourbillon, or the Tech Twist, or even the 8HF, whose aesthetics were a bit extreme and set them apart from the other models in the LUC collection. When you offer a piece like this, which is truly at the cutting edge of watchmaking skill, with such a modern look, is it your intention to surprise people a bit, to challenge their ideas of Chopard?
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
I believe that Chopard, probably more than other traditional brands, if you like, can afford to do that. I don’t want us to be confined to one area, or one style. At the same time, we remain faithful to our philosophy of building movements in synergy between innovation and tradition. For the Full Strike Sapphire we chose to show the entire movement in a way that might surprise some people, but in my opinion there is an important reason behind it. We don’t take just any watch and place it in sapphire crystal. In this case, there is a reason. It’s a logical continuation of moving from sapphire crystal gongs to the entire case, and there’s the goal of showing the whole movement from all sides. And yet, as you can see, the case isn’t quirky, it’s not some kind of wacky sculptural shape, you know.
Co-president of Chopard, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele © Chopard
Suzanne Wong
The sapphire crystal really works for sound propagation and gives that opening to the case so we can see what’s going on inside. On a metaphysical level, this transparency is like an affirmation of what LUC has accomplished since it was created in 1998.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
You might almost say that it’s a bit of a showcase of what LUC has done over the past 25 years.
Suzanne Wong
I remember you told a story regarding a customer who had only heard of the watch and immediately called you and said, “I want to buy it. And this customer hadn’t even seen the watch or any pictures, he had just heard something regarding Chopard creating an extraordinary chiming watch. This is where you know someone truly understands what you’re trying to do and the values Chopard stands for.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
It is above all a question of trust.
L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire © Chopard
Suzanne Wong
Is it true that you personally validate each striking watch produced by Chopard before it is authorized to leave the factory?
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
Yes indeed, but don’t forget that we don’t have many in a year. So every time that happens, it’s a big moment for me. I enjoy every second of it. And the team too, I believe. Everyone is on the same line of thinking. There is a gentleman at the factory who has been making Chopard chiming watches since the very beginning. Sometimes he comes up to me and says, “I have a play here, but I don’t think you’re going to like the ringtone so much…” And he’s usually right!
Suzanne Wong
So there is indeed a “Chopard ringtone”. Can you describe it to us?
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
To begin with, the cadence and rhythm must be perfect and perfectly regular. It can be heard right away, even if there is only one note a little off. Or if the intervals are too close to each other, we cannot really count the rings easily. On the other hand, I’ve heard of a few other chiming watches where the intervals between chimes are so long that you actually start to wonder if another one is going to chime. That’s what I mean when I say cadence is so important. In addition, there must be a depth for each ringtone. I’m not just referring to volume. If you look at high-end audio equipment, for example, a good speaker is capable of reproducing sound with great quality even at low volume. The volume does not have much to do, it is a question of quality. And we recognize it when we hear it.
Suzanne Wong (clearly seeking an exclusive reveal)
If I look at what Chopard has achieved in the field of striking watches, in my opinion the next logical step is the Grande Sonnerie.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
Yes I totally agree !
Suzanne Wong (who insists…)
Excellent answer! I say “the next step” because that’s how things naturally progress in my opinion, but not everyone thinks the same way. Some people may prefer to go in another direction, which others would not expect.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
Yes, but in this case it would be like running a marathon and not crossing the finish line.
Suzanne Wong
Say no more, I believe we know what we can expect from Chopard in the future!
